Welser-Most conducts The Cleveland Orchestra at Symphony Center Review- A great concert of Beethoven, Sibelius and Smetana

On Saturday, January 21, 2017, as part of the 86th season of "Symphony Center Presents", The Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Franz Welser-Most, put on a double-barreled hit program of Beethoven and Sibelius with an 8-minute encore by Smetana at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago. The great orchestra, one of the “Big Five”, under the baton of the dramatic and compelling Maestro Welser-Most, whose tenure with Cleveland is the longest running as music director in that group, gained a standing ovation for their rich, strong and evocative presentation.

Maestro Welser-Most wields the baton

The first half of the program consisted of “Symphony No. 8 in F Major”, Op. 93, 1812, by Ludwig von Beethoven, a 46 minute piece described as “light-hearted, though not lightweight”. This is a symphony in 4 movements, played loudly and happily, and supposedly containing musical jokes. However, at least one author, Tom Service, has written, “It makes you think you’re listening to a light-hearted witticism, but Beethoven is really reforming the symphony right in front of your ears.” He adds, “If you hear the secod movement as a musical joke, you’re missing the point”. Instead, he describes a symphony imbued with "textural, rhythmic, orchestral and harmonic invention “. The piece is exciting, innovative and fresh. With sweeping yet tightly controlled gestures, Welser-Most brought the piece forth in its haunting melody and rich color.

The Cleveland Orchestra

The second half of the program was Jean Sibelius’ “Symphony No. 2 in D Major”, Op. 43, 1902-03. Sibelius himself remarked about this compelling work, “My second symphony is a confession of the soul”. The piece contains a “grandiose” finale, and was popularly dubbed the “Symphony of Independence”. Composed in 4 movements, the 45 minute symphony grows out of a triple note theme in the first movement, progresses through a portion that has been called “a broken-hearted protest against all…injustice”, followed by a swift and strongly lyrical third through the triumphant finale. The Cleveland Symphony gave us a brilliant rendition, filled with concentrated energy and drama.

Franz Weiser-Most leads The Cleveland Orchestra

The beautiful and much appreciated encore- the audience was loathe to let the orchestra leave- was Bedrich Smetana’s "Overture to “The Bartered Bride”, 1863-1866, often, as here, played independently from the three-act comic opera’s libretto. The music of the overture is mostly taken from the finale of the third Act. It begins with a concerted orchestral “thrust”, followed by a sprightly string section and culminating in a percussive dance portion of great energy. The piece is rapturous, compellingly lovely and filled with folk influences.